NASA has selected two proposals to develop new oxygen recovery technology that will allow astronauts to breathe easier in deep space.
The agency said it will invest as much as $2 million in 24 months for the development of each proposal.
“The development of advanced life support technologies will allow NASA to establish improved capabilities for future deep space, long-duration, human exploration missions,” said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate in a statement. “The selected proposals represent the best value to the agency and strong investments for STMD.”
The proposal from Honeywell Aerospace in Phoneix: Phase II Methane Pyrolysis System for High-Yield Soot-Free Recovery of Oxygen from Carbon Dioxide.
And the proposal from UMPQUA Research Co. in Myrtle Creek, Oregon: Continuous Bosch Reactor.
The current system on the International Space Station recovers about 50% of the oxygen from exhaled carbon dioxide. The remaining oxygen required for crew is transported to the station from Earth. Due to this, long-term missions are "economically and logistically prohibitive."

NASA has selected two proposals to develop new oxygen recovery technology that will allow astronauts to breathe easier in deep space.

The agency said it will invest as much as $2 million in 24 months for the development of each proposal.

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“The development of advanced life support technologies will allow NASA to establish improved capabilities for future deep space, long-duration, human exploration missions,” said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate in a statement. “The selected proposals represent the best value to the agency and strong investments for STMD.”

The proposal from Honeywell Aerospace in Phoneix: Phase II Methane Pyrolysis System for High-Yield Soot-Free Recovery of Oxygen from Carbon Dioxide.

And the proposal from UMPQUA Research Co. in Myrtle Creek, Oregon: Continuous Bosch Reactor.

The current system on the International Space Station recovers about 50% of the oxygen from exhaled carbon dioxide. The remaining oxygen required for crew is transported to the station from Earth. Due to this, long-term missions are "economically and logistically prohibitive."